RTA’s billion dirham road plan enters its first phase

Monday, 21 May 2012 09:31

Dubai’s roads have become renowned for their heavy traffic during peak periods. (Image source: Jeff Vergara)Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded two contracts totalling AED 38 million (US$10.3 million) for the construction of new roads in the Al Qusais and Al Quoz districts of the emirate

The deals form part of the first phase of the RTA’s five-year AED 1 billion (US$272.2 million) project to improve roads in residential areas across Dubai.

“The two projects represent the initial phase of the five-year plan endorsed by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,” said RTA chairman of the board and executive director Mattar Al Tayer.

Construction on the Al Qusais 3 project will begin in June 2012 and will take nine months to complete. The project will cover an area of 225 hectares and will involve 6km of roads being built, along with streetlights and parking lots.

The Al Quoz 4 project will involve the construction and installation of an additional eight kilometres of roads, streetlights, parking spaces and storm-water drainages, and has been scheduled for completion within the first half of 2013.

The RTA’s five-year Internal Roads Construction Plan comprises five phases. Costing AED 140 million (US$38.1 million), phase two will start in 2013, and will cover three residential districts in the emirate.

Phase three will start in 2014, at a cost of around AED 130 million (US$35.4 million), while the fourth phase will start in 2015 at a cost of AED 140 million and will cover the construction of roads in three districts.

The final phase has been scheduled to start in 2016 at a cost of approximately AED 250 million (US$68 million) and will cover road work in Jebel Ali Industrial Area 1, Al Qusais Industrial Areas 3, 4 and 5, and Al Awir 1.